Driving Force

chapter 4

I signal for him to bend down so I can whisper in his ear. "I had a seizure." His facial expression changes from pissed to concerned.

"Alexis, come here." He calls a trainer over and whispers to her. I then feel her arm slide under my left arm as she puts some of my weight on her and guides me into the locker room.

I faintly hear coach subbing Press for me as I made it to the exam room. As soon as I reach the exam table I just plop myself down and close my eyes hoping the dizziness will leave.

"Madison, how long since you've had a seizure?" She questions me.

"A couple of months ago." I say remembering I had to stop taking my meds for the same reason.

"Do you know what triggered it?" I shake my head to her question lying. "Have you been taking your medication?" This time I nod lying again. "Okay, get some rest."

"Don't tell the team." I request.

"They are going to want to know what happened."

"Please, just tell them I was dehydrated."

"Okay, I will. Just rest, kid." I nod and close my eyes again as I let sleep consume me. It doesn't seem to last long before I was awoken by voices.

"Guys she's okay. She just needed some fluids." A voice says and shushes the other voices. "Let her sleep until we need to get on the bus."

"Alexis, can I talk to you," a voice says. "Madi was talking to me right before she left the pitch. We were talking and then it seemed like she couldn't get the words out. She was struggling for a couple of seconds. And right before that she asked me if I smelt something. Things just seemed jumbled." That had to be Naeher.

"She's okay now though." Alexis tells her. "Sometimes dehydration causes confusion."

I pray Alyssa buys it. She sounds hesitant but says, "Uh okay."

"Let's get back to the pitch for the second half guys! You are doing great. And for those of you worrying about Madi, she is resting and doing well. She would want you to finish strong. Don't let that goal she scored right before be for nothing." Coach Vlatko says ending whatever speech he was giving to the team. As they all head out, I decide to sit up and take it easy. They are only going to become more frequent the longer I stop my medication. I need to do something. I go out on the pitch to find the person who would be willing to help me out regardless of what it is. I see everyone eyeing me and asking me if I was okay. I nod and tell them I was okay now. I located the person I wanted and walked up to them as they were focused on the game.

"Dawn." I poke her shoulder.

"Madison, you're okay. You should be resting. I heard what happened." She whispers making sure nobody else hears.

"I need to talk to you." She takes me back to the locker room so we are somewhere more private.

"What's going on?"

"I messed up. I thought I brought enough pills with me but I guess not. I don't have enough money on me or a prescription to give to the pharmacy. I usually just get my automatic refills at my local pharmacy, but I'm across the country."

"Okay no worries we can get that covered. I'll cover you don't worry. I will also ask the team doctor to write out a prescription and we can get them once we go to the hotel." She rests her hand on my bouncing leg.

"I'll pay you back as soon as possible." I firmly say.

"Don't worry about it. Let me do this for you."

"No no, it's okay. I'll pay you back as soon as I can. But can you not tell the team about any of this."

"I won't but you should tell them." I shake my head at her suggestion. "Wait did you stop taking your meds?"

"I thought missing a day or two won't affect me, but I was wrong."

"Madi!" Dawn sounds disappointed. "Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"I know. I know." I rest my head on the lockers.

"I'm gonna go call the doctor so she can put a prescription in right away." She gets up and walks out. She comes back within a few minutes. "When you go back to the hotel, take a pill from the ones you already have and I'll pick up the new prescribed ones."

"I owe you big time, Dawn."

"Don't sweat it, kid. But please come to me or someone else sooner. And don't ever put yourself at risk just to play. Your health comes first."

I go to reply to her, but everything gets jumbled in my head and it seems like the words are stuck in my mouth. I smell burnt toast again. I feel hands guide me to lay on my side on the bench.

"You're okay, Madi. You're safe, I got you." It feels like a dream but it wasn't. This was lasting longer than the one on the pitch.

A minute later I feel myself finally returning back to normal. I close my eyes as a wave of dizziness hits me.

"I'm okay." I whisper out.

"You're okay." Dawn says running her hand on top of my head. "Just rest. I got you."

"The team is going to come in soon. I'll go to the exam room." I say trying to get up.

"No you are staying right here, even if it's for a couple minutes and then we will move you." I just nod knowing better than to argue. "I'm going to tell Vlatko you had another one and I am going to take you to the hotel in one of the rentals."

She's back and with the help of Alexis just in case ans we walked out the back doors into the car. Dawn starts the car and we are off. I feel my eyes start to get heavy, but she nudges me awake.

"Madi, don't fall asleep. I won't be able to carry you to your room."

"Dawn, just wake me up when we get there." I whine.

"Kid we are legit five minutes away."

"Wow, torture the kid into staying awake after two seizures."

"Wow, guilting me into letting you sleep is a new move from you." She laughs.

The five minutes went by quickly and she walked me into my room as I went and took my medication. I decided to shower real quick as Dawn stayed in my room in case anything happened. She stayed and I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

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hello, let me know what you guys want to see in this story and i'll try my best to somehow incorporate it.
much love and stay safe,
-AK